Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-31
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
The graph below shows the number of tourists visiting a particular Caribbean island between 2010 and 2017.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.
Student answer (Band 4.5)
The graph below displays the figures of tourists visiting a particular Caribbean island from 2010 to 2017.
Overall, A Caribbean island refers to any of the thousands of islands, cays, and islets located within or bordering the Caribbean Sea (and the nearby Lucayan Archipelago) in the Western Hemisphere. It shows the total number of visitors that stayed on island and cruise ships.
To begin with, Millions of visitors visited the island between 2010 and 2017. In 2010, the amount of tourists who stayed there was about 0.5 million and it reaches at peak of 2 Million. Moreover, as compared to visitors staying on cruise ships vs visitors staying on island is different. As we see the tourists figures dramatically increases from 2013 to 2017. Meanwhile, the other tourists remain stayed on island throughout the years between 2013 and 2015.
Following the previous information the total of visitors was exactly 3.5 million. Additionally, the amount was fluctuating from 1.5 million to 2.5 million straight. In the end, the amount of visitors staying on cruise ships was more than the tourists stayed on island.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 4.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 4.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.5 |
| Overall | 4.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response fails to accurately report the main features of the graph. The introduction includes irrelevant background information about Caribbean geography instead of paraphrasing the task. The data description is confusing and inaccurate; for instance, stating 'Millions of visitors visited' is vague, and the claim that the total was 'exactly 3.5 million' is not supported by the visual data. The distinction between cruise ship visitors and island stayers is poorly explained, and the trends described do not match the provided graph. The response lacks a clear overview and fails to make meaningful comparisons, resulting in a failure to address the requirements of the task effectively.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.5
The essay lacks a logical progression of ideas. While there are paragraph breaks, the content within them is disjointed. Cohesive devices are used in a mechanical and often incorrect way, such as 'Following the previous information' and 'In the end', which do not logically connect the data points. The referencing is unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between the two categories of tourists. The overall structure is fragmented, and the lack of clear topic sentences or logical flow significantly hinders the readability of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 4.5
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, relying heavily on basic terms like 'amount' and 'visitors'. There are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'it reaches at peak of' and 'remain stayed on island'. The student struggles to use precise terminology to describe trends (e.g., 'dramatically increases' is used without clear reference to the data). The range of vocabulary is insufficient to convey the information with the necessary precision required for an Academic Task 1 response, often leading to confusion regarding the intended meaning.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that impede communication. There are issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'the amount of tourists... were'), incorrect preposition usage ('stayed on island'), and awkward sentence structures. The attempt to use complex sentences often results in errors, such as 'as compared to visitors staying on cruise ships vs visitors staying on island is different'. Punctuation is inconsistent, and the overall control of grammar is weak. While simple sentences are attempted, they are often marred by basic errors in tense and word order, which prevents the writing from reaching a higher level of accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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